higgixs



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. J. HIGGINS.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

190.397,429. Patented Feb. 5, 1889.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. J. HIGGINS..

PHOTOGRAPHIU CAMERA.

No. 397,429. Patented Feb. 5, 1889.

W//VESS NVE/WOR.

.wa/@ @WM/051% ATTORNEY,

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. J. HIGGINS.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

f atented Feb. 5, 1889.

---ai o e (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. J. HIGGINS.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA..

No. 397,429. Patented Peb. 5, 1889.

W/T/VESSES: [NVE/WUR,

UNITED STATES PATENT OYEETCE.

JOHN J. HIGGINS, OF NFT YORK, N. Y.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,429, dated February 5, 1889.

Application tiled April 2.1, 1888.

To (t-Z u'mm/ 'it 71mg conce/'ltr Be it known that l, JOHN J. HIGGINS, ot' the city, county, and State of New York, have inl vented a new and useful Improvement in j Photographic Cameras, ot which the tollowing is a full,' 'clear, and exact description.

This invention, which is applicable to photographic cameras generally, but more particularly to those of a readily-portable character having provision ii'or storing away a series of plates or plate-holders, relates more particularly to the rear portion and body of the camera, in which the plates or plate-holders are carried or held, irrespective of the lens and shutter or forward portion of the camera, which maybe ot' any suitable construction.

The invention consists in certain novel con:

structions and combinations of parts, including a lid or cover at the back ot the camerabodj)7 provided with a special locking means, a hinge or swinging plate-holder frame, and special locking means for introducing and securing the plate-holder being utilized in position, or for removing it, as required, and a special construction oi the body of the instrument for storing away in a compact manner additional or extra plate-holders out of the line of vision or iield of view, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is tobe had to theaceompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, .in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l represents aview in perspective of a photographic camera embodying my invention, with its rear lid or cover thrown down or opened and its hinged plate-holder frame fully exposed without a plate-holder, and with the locking-bar which holds the plate-holder and plate-holder frame to their place released. Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the camera opened, with a plate-holder in position for takin g a picture, and with the locking-bar, as

above, closed. Fig. 3 is a partly-broken end elevation showing the ground glass used in focusing in position on back ot the hinged plate-holder frame, also showing in part one ot' the additional plate-holders in its stored position within the body of the camera. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the Serial No. 271,370. (No model.)

cantera in part, with its rear lid or cover thrown down or open, and with a plate-holder locked in position on the back ot' the hinged plate-holder traine. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section, and F g. 5 a perspective view, et' the rear portion ot' the instrument in part, showing the lfocusing ground glass in working position and as locked on the back oiAl the hinged plate-lwlder traine. Fig. t3 isa view in perspective ot' the interior oi' the rear outer lid orcover in part, with attached means for locking it when closed. Fig. 7 is a view in perspective in illustration ot' the locking devices ot the plate-holder on back 0i" its hinged carrying-trame, and et the locking devices oi' the back lid or cover ot the case.

A indicates the body ot the camera, which is open in its rear to facilitate the placing ot` the focusing ground glass l and the subsequent placing ot one, t, of a series ot' plateholders, C C", in position for photographing.

.D is the diaphragm, having an aperture, i), arranged between the rear ot the camera and its lens E for the passage otl the rays of light passing through the lens to the plate under operation, and which is represented ashinged below, as at. c, and fastened by a but-ton, d, when closed. 'lhe open back end of the camera-bodyAis closed when required, and when moving the camera about by an internallyhollow lid or cover, F, hinged below, as at e, to the bottoni ot' the camera-body at its back, and which may be i'urther supported and stayed when down by a jointed braee, f. This hollow lid or cover F serves to carry or hold the i'ocusingrouiul glass B when not in use, which ground glass is incased in a suitable frame, (j, orto hold extra plate holder or holders, which, when stowed away in the hol low back lid, F, maybe held in place by a clasp, 71, from under which they are slipped when required to be used. Instead ot' the clasp, any other simple device may be used for the saine purpose.

The body of the camera is virtually composed ot' two cameras, one placed within the other, the inner camera being' inade ot' smaller dimensions than the outer camera, and the spaces between the two canteras being utilized for the storage ot extra plate holders or for other purposes. These spaces between the two cameras or inner and outer IOC) walls of the instrument are here represented as forming longitudinal pockets or chambers G, open in their rear in both the sides and bottom of the instrument, and this not only constitutes a compact arrangement ttor the storage of extra plates or plate-holders C', but when the same are thus stored away they will be out ot' the line of vision or field ot view and do not require to bc removed. A spring, lf", Fig. 4, is fastened to the inside of the ou ter wall of either side pocket, G, to press the plate-holder inserted therein away from said wall Vto facilitate the removal of said plate-holder when required.

II is the platc-holder-earrying frame, within or on the outside of which the plate-holder C or C being utilized is placed, or within or on which the ground glass B is placed when `l'ocusing. This frame II is hinged above, as at fz', to the upper portion of the rear end of the camera-body A, which provides for its being thrown up or raised, as partly shown by dotted lines in'Fig. 5, to give tree access to the interior of the camera-body and to expose the open rear ends of the side pockets, G, when necessai-y to insert wit-hin or remove from them the extra plate-holders C', which the pockets are designed to carry. \Vhen this hinged Ytrame H is shut down, the same, being hinged above, will remain closed, and either the focusing ground glass B or the plate-holder C in use may then readily be adjusted to their places in or on the back of hinged frame Il, the hinged backlid or cover, F, et the camera being let down preferably at a slightly-dipping inclination below the body of the camera, for which the jointed brace f, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, i, and 5 of the drawings, provides. The rear ot the camera-body has a recess, ci", at its one end (see Fig. 1) to provide ii'or manipulating the plate on the plate-holder when in position for photographing, and the lid F has a corresponding tongue, (F, whichcloses said recess when` the lid F is closed.

I is a locking-bar, pivoted below, as at to the [ioor of the camera in the rear, and which when raised enters a slot, m, in a lockingplate, J, secured to the upper portion of the hinged frame H. The :door oi the camera is extended in the rear, as shown at e3, Fig. 4, to provide for thus arranging the locking-bar I, and to support and stiften t-he same when turned up or closed and exposed to pressure. This locking-bar I when down rests in a keeper, n, on the lower portion of the rear ot the camera above the lower plate-holder-storage pocket G, so as not to interfere with. the insertion or removal of the plateholder itting said pocket, and so as not to interfere with the raising oi' the hinged frame F, which gives free access to the side pockets G. Such position of the locking-bar I, too, (shown by full lines in Figs. l and 3,) also provides for the placing of either the focusing ground B, as shown iu Figs. l., 3, and, or the plate-holder G, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 7, within or on the back of the hinged frame F when the latter is closed. \Vhen said lockingbar I is raised, however, to enter the slotm in the locking-plate .Las shown in Figs. 2, i, and 7, it then serves the double purpose of securely holding or locking the plate-holder Cy seated to the hinged plate-holding iframe 1I and ot holding` lboth immovably, and, as it were, hermetically sealed against the entrance oi'light into the body ol' the camera, and, furthermore, ol keeping' the lower plate-holder in place. The plate-holder frame II rabbeted on its inner face, and the end of the camerabody against which it iits when closed is also rabbeted to match, as shown at g', Fig. 4, for the purpose of more effectually excluding light through the joint formed by the closed trame Il. \\'hen focusing by the ground glass B, the said bar is let down, and the vframe g ot said glass locked or held in position by lower dowel-pins, o 0, entering suitable holes in the projecting bottom portion of the back of the camera-body, and by engaging a sliding bolt, fr, on the top of the ground-glass frame in a second slot or notch, s, in the keeper or locking-plate J, whereby the same plate, J, answers both for the lockingbar I and the bolt r. It also answers, at least indirectly through the locking-bar I when raised and engaged with the slot my in said plate, for a spring-bolt,)[, applied tothe back lid, F, to lock or hold said back lid closed, the spring-bolt M consisting of a sliding rod, a', within the closing end portion of the lid F, a nose-piece, D', on said rod adapted to automatically engage with the raised and engaged locking-bar I en shuttin the lid, and a spring, c', applied to said rod to shift it longitudinally, whereby said automatic locking of the lid is effected and the rod a is 'forced outward through the one side of the lid, so that on pressing the same inward the locking-bolt M will be released and the lid F is at liberty to be thrown back and down or opened. This locking attachment ismore clearly shown in Figs. 5, G, and 7 of the drawings.

I'Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The camera-body provided with a lid or cover in its rear and constructed between inner and outer walls with pockets adapted to form storage-Chambers for plate-holders'out of the iield of view ot' the instrument, substantially as specified. t

2. The combination, with the cainera-body open in its rear and thehinged lid closing the same, of the plate-holder frame hinged to said body at its back within or under cover of said lid, substantially as specified.

3. The combination,with the body ot' the camera constructed to open in its rear and the plate-holder-carrying trame hinged to said body in its rear, ot pocket-s forming storagechambers t'or plate-holders arranged between inner and outer walls of the camera-body back of said plate-holdercarrying frame, essentially as described.

IOO

IIO

4i The Combination, with the Camera-body openingI in its rear and the plate-holder traine hinged thereto, ot' the pivoted looking-har and a looking-plate with which Said har when closed is made to eng-agg substantially as Speeitled.

5. The combination,witha lockingI plate or den'ee attaehed to the eaniera in its rear, and the looking-bar l, of the hinged lid l?, provided with a Springl holt or rod, M, arranged to project through the side ot' said lid, and having an attached nose-piece adapted to engage with said looking-bar when Said lid is closed, essentially as described.

6. The traine g of the focusing ground glase, provided With a eateh or bolt, in combination with the hinged or swinging plate-holder-earrying traine, and a locking-plate attached l thereto, with which said eateh or bolt is made to engage, essentially as described.

CIL

'7. rllhe combination, with the bod)v of the camera Constructed to open in its rear, of the hin ged plate-holder-earrvingl l' rame ll, havingl an attached locking-plate, .l, provided with slots m s, the pivoted loeking-bar l, the rear hinged lid, l, the spring-holt M, and the focusing `ground g'laSS havi n g its traine provided with a eateh or holt, Substantially as Speeilied:

S. The Combination, with the eaniera havingl one or more Side poeliets, G, adapted to carry plate-holders, of a spring within either pocket arranged to hear on the inserted platef holder, Substantially as and tor the purpose l Speeiiied.

Wil nesSes:

C. SEDGWICK, E. M. CLARK. 

